7 Shoes Our Fashion Editors Are Retiring This Autumn and 7 They’re Wearing Instead

When it comes to footwear trends, the autumn/winter 2025 collections have ushered in a new mood—after years of chunky, thick soles there has been a shift towards a sleeker, more streamlined aesthetic. There has been a move away from lug sole boots, bulky trainers and platforms that require ankle strength to lift them—shoes that all flourished in our re-emergence after the pandemic—and a move towards more refined, and in many ways simple, shoes.

On my own wishlist for autumn, for example, is a pair of supple lace-up Derby shoes that are more of a jazz shoe than a ballet pump, along with a pair of no-fuss black leather knee-high boots that will go with everything. The colour palette is equally refined, as you’ll find that all of autumn’s trending shoe styles come realised in rich chocolate brown shades.